Check It Out: Sibling Stories

Carolyn Parkhurst's "Cooking with Henry and Elliebelly" celebrates the affectionate chaos that results when a toddler puts her own mark on playtime with an older sibling. In the case of kindergartner Henry, and his little sister Eleanor a.k.a. Elliebelly, a game of "televised cooking show" leads to numerous technical difficulties. Patient and flexible Henry adjusts to Elliebelly's insistence on replacing chef hats with pirate hats and on letting her doll Baby Anne swim through the pancake batter. Despite a few mini-meltdowns on Ellie's part, Henry considers his show a success, and his sister a creative, enthusiastic cohost. Dashingly expressive retro illustrations highlight the humor in this sibling story for ages 4-7.

Picture Books and Beginning Readers

"The Amazing Adventure of Bumblebee Boy" by David Soman

Bumblebee Boy, costar of the popular "Ladybug Girl" books, gets his own spin-off superhero story. The alter ego of preschooler Sam, Bumblebee Boy battles pirates, tames a lion, and subdues a fire-breathing dragon. Frequently interrupted by pleas from his toddler brother Owen to be included, Bumblebee Boy prefers his only companion on his adventures to be his imagination. However, when Owen invents a new game called "bank robbing monsters," Sam decides that his little brother has the tenacity to be a capable crime-fighting wingman. The zippy, action-packed text and illustrations enliven a commonplace sibling scenario. For ages 3-6.

"In the Tree House" by Andrew Larsen

This story's young narrator spent last summer in a treehouse cocooned by stars, playing cards and reading comics with his big brother. This summer, his brother spends all his time with his older friends, having decided the tree house is baby stuff. Solitude doesn't suit a treehouse, or the little brother, who feels destined to be the sole keeper of the once-enchanted hideaway. When a blackout combined with a star shower on a sweltering night lures the neighborhood out with ice cubes, candles, and melting ice cream, our young friend's brother rediscovers an appreciation for the treehouse and his younger brother, even after the electricity comes back on. An authentic and eloquent story for younger and older brothers ages 5-10.

"Peanut and Fifi Have a Ball" by Randall De Seve

Preschooler Fifi has many ideas for imaginative play involving a blue plastic ball, if only her toddler sister Peanut would share her new toy. Ever ingenious, Fifi tries grabbing the ball, pleading for it, and finally announcing her inspired ideas for games the sisters could play together using the ball, such as fortune-teller, bread baker, and hat maker. Tired of waiting for her little sister to join her, Fifi decides to play astronaut by herself. Luckily, Peanut has an idea involving a round blue planet, and her eventual willingness to share sees the girls co-piloting a rocket ship past a tranquil blue world. Bubbly, retro-style illustration in sherbet hues capture the buoyancy of this ode to imagination and cooperation, sibling style, for ages 3-6.

"Amanda and Oliver Pig" by Jean Van Leeuwen

"Best Friends for Frances" by Russell Hoban

"Big Little Brother" by Kevin Kling

"Charlie and Lola" (series) by Lauren Child

"Chicken of the Family" by Laurie Amato

"Chloe" by Peter McCarty

"Chloe Instead" by Micah Player

"The Day Louis Got Eaten" by John Fardell

"The Dream Jar" by Lindan Johnson

"Earth to Clunk" by Pam Smallcomb

"Fix-It, Sam" by Lori Ries

"Flo and Wendell" by William Wegman

"Flora's Very Windy Day" by Jeanne Birdsall

"Go, Jade, Go!" by Tony Dungy (beginning reader)

"How to be a Baby-By Me, the Big Sister" by Sally Lloyd Jones

"How to Be Friends with a Dragon" by Valeri Gorbachev

"I Need My Own Country" by Rick Walton

"I Wanna New Room" by Karen Orloff

"Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same" (beginning reader) by Grace Lin

"Lola Reads to Leo" by Anna McQuinn

"Martha Bunny Loves School" by Clara Valliamy

"Martha in the Middle" by Jan Fearnley

"Max and Ruby" (series) by Rosemary Wells

"The Middle-Child Blues" by Kristyn Crow

"My Big Sister"/"My Big Brother" by Valorie Fisher

"My Brother Charlie" by Holly Robinson Pete

"My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood" by Tameka Fryer Brown

"Pink Magic" by Donna Jo Napoli

"The Prince Won't Go to Bed" by Dayle Ann Dodds

"Sky-High Guy" by Nina Crews

"Someday" by Eileen Spinelli

"Sophie's Trophy" by Susan Middleton Elya

"The Younger Brother's Survival Guide: By Matt" by Lisa Kopelke

"What Sisters Do Best"/"What Brothers Do Best" by Laura Numeroff

"When Stella Was Very, Very Small" by Mary-Louise Gay

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Check It Out: Sibling Stories

Carolyn Parkhurst's 'Cooking with Henry and Elliebelly' celebrates the affectionate chaos that results when a toddler puts her own mark on playtime with an older sibling.

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